Evangelisto



Nov. 11, 1958 v. EvANGELlsTo APPARATUS FOR DE-INKING CELLOPHANEr ETC Filed Nov. 13, 1951 nventor @abge/35%@ Gttorneg/ United States Patent O M APPARATUS FOR DE-INKIN G CELLOPHANE, ETC.

Vincenzo Evangelista, Devon, Pa.

Application November 13, 1951, Serial No. 256,011

7 Claims. (Cl. 15--4) This invention relates to improvements in means for cleaning web or sheet material, for the purpose of reclaiming the same.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved means for cleaning web or strip sheet material such as cellophane, plastics, paper, foil, or similar materials, for the purpose of removingl ink, decalcomania designs and other indicia therefrom.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

-ln the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken thru an improved apparatus shown for the most part in diagrammatic form, and adaptable for the quick and eilivcient removal of printing and other indicia from cellophane and other strip web like materials.

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross sectional View taken substantially on the line 2 2 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings with the web hold-down roll omitted.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the mounting of one end of an agitator roll of the machine.

Fig. 4 is .a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross sectional view of a doctor blade and its mounting upon the machine.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional View of a mounting end of one of the web depressing rolls of the machine.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved apparatus used for the purposes of reclaiming web materials B thru the removal of stamped, printed, or other applied designs and printing thereon. 1

Referring to the mechanism A, the same includes supporting framework, including standards or uprights 10, which may be of channel shaped cross section. At each side of the machine the standards 10 carry roller supporting angles or members 11. The latter may include flanges 12 welded or otherwise secured by angle pieces 13 to the tops of the standards 10, and the members 11 each include vertically disposed walls or portions 14 which support the vario-us roller arrangements to be subsequently described.

A horizontally disposed receptacle 20 is preferably snpported by angle pieces 21. The latter are secured to the standards 10 and the upright walls 22 of the receptacle 20 are spaced from the supporting walls 14, as shown in Figure 2. The receptacle 20 deiines a compartment 23 adapted to receive a solvent bath to be subsequently described, within which the applicator and agitator rollers, to be subsequently described, are partially disposed for film application thereto of the solvent.

Below the solution trough or receptacle 20 is an excess 2,859,456@ Patented Nov. it, laas solution trough 25, including a bottom wall 26 and side Walls 27. The latter are welded or otherwise secured directly to the standards 1t), as shown in the cross sectional view Figure 2, and it is to be noted that the walls 27 extend beyond the planes of the walls 22, so that any splashing or overflowof the solution from the trough 20 will fall into the trough 25. Likewise the end walls 27a-of the trough 25 extend beyond the end walls o f the solution trough 20, see Figure 1.

A removable receptacle 30 may be supported upon a suitable shelf 31 for receiving the excess solution from a drain pipe 32.

The web roll 40 to be reclaimed is supported upon a roller 14. The latter may be detachably connected in any suitable manner (not shown) to supporting posts 42, as diagrammatically shown in Figure 1, and therefrom the material of the web, designated at 43, extends upwardly over a guide roller 44, supported by the walls 14. It then passes thru an arrangement of rollers and cleaners to be subsequently described, and is wound upon a finished roll 45 supported upon a roller 46. The latter vide a plurality of solvent applying rolls designated atY 50, which may be supported upon the walls 14, as shown in Figure 2. The showing is only diagrammatic and any suitable bearing means upon the walls may be provided, so that the rolls 50 may be removed, if found desirable. Any suitable number of rolls 5t) may be provided, and the solution applying pair at the entrance end of the machine are relatively spaced, and above them is disposed an idler roll 51, which acts as a web guide for holding down the web 43 upon a desired surface area of the rollers 50. The roller 51 may move vertically and its ends may be supported in suitable slots 52 of the walls 14.

Four applicator -rolls are provided, two at the web entrance to the machine and two more, each of the latter two having an adjacent agitator roll 60 of theV same construction as the rollers 50, but with a slower rate of rotation than rollers 50. The rollers 50 travel at the same rate of speed as the web 43, but the agitator rolls 60, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 each have a brake device 61 consisting or a brake member 62 spring urged at 63 against a hub portion 64 of the shaft of the agitator roll 60, to slow up the action thereof. Of course a lm of the solvent is applied upon the undersurface of the web 43, and the rubbing action of the slower agitator rolls 60 will tend to loosen the ink or other indicia to'be removed from the web. A roller 60a similar to roller 60 is located near the discharge end of the trough or receptacle forwardly beyond the last of the rollers 50 and 60.

Between the first and second pairsl of rolls, at the entrance end of the machine, there is also provided an idler roller 70 operating in slots 52 (see Figure 6) in the walls 14, similar to the roller 51 above described. This roll 70 is in position to depress the web into the solution of the receptacle 20. The second and third series of applicator and agitator rollers also have idlers 51a of the same construction as the roller 51, and for the same purpose. Close to the discharge end of the receptacle 2t) there is a web guide roller rotatably secured upon the Walls 14 of the framework, and beyond that the web passes around a rubber draw roller 81 and is squeezed between the same and a larger diameter steel draw roller S2 which is driven in a manner to be subsequently described, for the purpose of moving the web across the various rollers.

Idler and web guiding rollers 70a are located at various intervals between the series of applicator and agitator rollers, preferably for holding the web taut and in sutiicient area contact upon the rollers 50 and 60.

Forwardly of each of the rollers 70 and 70Elm in the direction of travel of the web there is provided a cleaning or doctor blade suitably supported upon a rail 91. The latter is secured to or rests upon the trough 20. The doctor blade 90 is preferably formed of rubber, of about the same consistency as the rubber heel of a shoe, that is, between 70 and 86 Shore durometer. As a matter of fact the rubber agitator and applicator and idler rollers all maybe made of the same material.

At the discharge end of the machine is located a suitable motor 190 provided with a belt end pulley arrangement 101 connected to the steel draw roller 82 "for 'the driving thereof. The roller 46 for receiving the finish roll 45 may also be suitably driven by belt and pulley arrangement 102 olf of the motor 160. To stabilize the web at the discharge end of the machine, a positioning roller 105 may be pro-vided, supported by the posts 47, for locating the web at a desired angle to receive a blast of dry Aair from a fan structure 167 which may be supported by a shelf or bracket 108 ol of the standards 10, as shown in Figure l.

I have provided an improved solution best adapted to soften and dissolve the ink or other indicia from the web or sheet being cleaned. One composition that I have found desirable consists of Percent by volume Ethyl acetate 90 Methyl Cellosolve 10 I do not wish to be limited to the above specific cornbination, since I have found that in some instances it is desirable to use only ethyl acetate, and in other instances I have found it desirable to use ethyl Cellosolve in varying proportions depending upon the specific type of material being cleaned, and the material which is to be cleaned therefrom.

In the operation of the mechanism it is perfectly apparent that the motor actuating the draw rollers will pull the web across a series of the rubber applicator and agitator rollers, and the idlers associated therewith hold the web across the desired surfacing area of these rollers for the purpose of applying and agitating the ink or other design material upon the web. Between the series of applicator and agitator rollers the idlers 70 and 76a dip the web downwardly, preferably into the solvent bath in the trough 20, and immediately following the -passage of the web around these idler rollers 70 and 76a, the doctor blades will scrape the ink and indicia from the surfacing of the web. By the time the web passes completely along the trough the inking and design materials will have been entirely removed from the web, so that the web from the wall 40 is entirely cleaned and can be reused.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the inventions herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention of scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for the cleaning of ink and other materials from flexible webbing such as cellophane comprising a supporting frame, a trough mounted upon the frame for containing a solvent bath, means on the frame for supporting a starting roll of webbing to be cleaned, means on the frame for receiving a roll of webbing after cleaning, rollers supported on horizontal axes by the frame over the trough with the lower portions thereof in position for immersion in the liquid within the trough, the upper portions of said rollers being positioned to lie above the liquid level in the trough, means for causing the webbing from the starting roll to Contact the upper portions of said rollers for receiving solvent directly from the rollers, and means for causing at least some of said rollers to rotate at a slower rate of speed than the travel of the web whereby to provide a frictional resistance against the under inked side of the webbing.

2. Apparatus for the surface cleaning of flexible webbing comprising a supporting frame, a horizontal trough mounted upon the frame adapted to receive a liquid cleanitl Jing solution therein, means on the frame for supporting a starting roll of webbing to be cleaned, means on the -frame for supporting a roll of webbing after being cleaned, a series of rollers on horizontal axes supported by said frame in position above the trough for immersion at their lower portions in the liquid within the trough and with the upper portions of said rollers disposed above the liquid level, means for contacting the webbing to be cleaned with the upper surfaces of said series rollers above the normal liquid level in the trough and in surface contact with the liquid carrying portions of said rollers, means f-or rotation of certain of said rollers at a circumferential travel speed less than the travel speed of the web supported thereon, and scraping means carried by the frame for contact with the underside of the webbing to be cleaned at locations between said series of rollers.

3. Apparatus for the cleaning of ink and other materials from exible webbing such as cellophane comprising a supporting frame, a trough mounted upon the frame open at the top and adapted to contain a solvent liquid bath, means on the frame for supporting a starting roll of webbing to be cleaned, means on the frame for receiving a roll of webbing after cleaning, a pair of rollers supported on horizontal axes by the frame over the trough with the lower portions thereof in position to be immersed in the liquid within the trough, the upper portions of said rollers being positioned to lie above the normal top level of liquid in the trough, an idler roller freely rotatably supported by the frame for bodily movement in a vertical plane at a location above and between the aforesaid pair of rollers for depressing the web into surface contact with the peripheral portions of the pair of rollers so that the webbing will be held in sucient area contact with said pair of rollers at a location above the solvent bath for depositing upon the underside of the webbing a film of the solvent, a second pair of rollers rotatably supported upon the frame with their lower portions immersed in the solvent bath and their upper portions projecting thereabove, the axes of the second pair of rollers lying in substantially the same plane as the axes of the lirst mentioned pair of rollers, a free vertically movable rotatable idler roller supported upon the frame above and between the last mentioned pair of rollers in position to rest upon and depress the webbing into sutlicient surface contact with the last mentioned pair of rollers, and means for rotating at least one of the last mentioned pair of rollers at a slower peripheral rate of speed than the speed of travel of the webbing for cleaning the underside of the webbing.

4. Apparatus for cleaning materials from exible webbing as described in claim 3 in which a rotatable idler roller is supported for free vertical movement by the frame at a location between the pairs of rollers for depressing and rendering the webbing taut.

5. Apparatus for cleaning materials from flexible webbing as described in claim 4 wherein a flexible scraping blade is mounted upon the frame between the last mentioned idler roller of claim 4 and the adjacent roller of the second mentioned pair of rollers, for scraping the undersurface of the webbing.

6. Apparatus for the cleaning of ink and other materials from flexible webbing, such as cellophane, comprising a supporting frame, a shallow trough mounted upon the frame adapted to contain therein a liquid solvent bath, means on the frame at one end for supporting a starting roll of webbing to be cleaned, means on the frame at the other end for receiving a roll of cleaned webbing, at least three sets of rollers in relatively spaced pairs rotatably 'supported by said frame, the rollers all being of the same effective diameters and the axes thereof lying in the same plane; each of said rollers having the lower portions thereof in position to be immersed in the solvent bath and the upper portions thereof eX- tending above the normal level of liquid in the trough, freely rotatable idler rollers carried by the frame for bodily and vertical movement, one of said rollers being provided for each of the aforesaid pairs of rollers and located thereabove and therebetween for depressing the webbing to be cleaned into suicient surface contact with the respective pair of rollers at a location above the normal level of liquid bath, other idler rollers rotatably supported by the frame for bodily and vertical movement at a location between each of the pairs of rollers in position to rest upon the webbing at said location and render the webbing taut between the adjacent pairs of rollers, and flexible scraping blade means carried by the frame engaging the under side of the webbing adjacent the last mentioned idler rollers between the same and the next forwardly adjacent pairs of rollers first mentioned.

7. Apparatus for cleaning webbing as described in claim 6 wherein means is provided for restraining too free rotation of certain of said pairs of rollers for causing them to have a peripheral speed of less than the speed of travel of the webbing thereover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gawler Sept. 28, Schneider Feb. 14, Ellis May 8, Langsner May 13, Allison Oct. 3l, Tondreau Jan. 3, Wood June 4, Capstaff July 14, Kuntz Aug. 22, Croft Sept. 26, Potter June 28, Coler May l5,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. 26, France June 6, 

